You may have seen a dog with a lopsided head, walking in circles or falling down very easily. You probably thought that he was off balance and that he was probably dizzy and sure enough, you were right.
When a dog presents these symptoms, among others, it suffers from what is known as vestibular syndrome, which affects the system that bears the same name. Do you know what this system is and what it is for? Do you know how it affects dogs?
If you are interested in knowing all this and more and knowing why my dog tilts his head and loses his balance, keep reading this article on our site, because in it we are going to explain what the is about.vestibular syndrome in dogs , its causes, how to identify its symptoms and what to do about it.
What is vestibular syndrome in dogs?
The vestibular system is what gives balance and spatial orientation to dogs to be able to move. In this system, the inner ear, the vestibulo-cochlear nerve (serves as a connection between the inner ear and the central nervous system), the vestibular nucleus and the anterior and posterior medial tract (they are parts of the central nervous system) and the muscles of the eyeball.
All these parts of a dog's body are connected and involved in the task of facilitating the animal's movement and orientation without problems. Therefore, this system allows the animals to avoid loss of balance, dizziness and falls. It is precisely when any of these parts or connections fail that vestibular syndrome occurs.
Vestibular syndrome is a symptom that some part of the vestibular system is not working properly. Therefore, as soon as we detect it, we will suspect that the dog has some pathology related to the vestibular system that causes loss of balance, among other signs.
There is more than one presentation of this disease. Thus, we can differentiate the peripheral form, which arises from the peripheral nervous system, also known as the external central nervous system, caused by some disorder that is affecting the inner ear. Then there is the form known as central vestibular disease or syndrome. This last manifestation is more serious than the peripheral form, but luckily it is much less common. It is known as central because its origin is in the central nervous system.
Also, there is a third option. When we cannot identify the origin of the vestibular syndrome, we will be facing the idiopathic form of the syndrome. In this case, there is no clear cause and the symptoms develop very suddenly. It may be that it lasts a long time and the dog has to get used to it or that in a few weeks it disappears without us knowing the cause. Luckily, the latter is the most common.
In most cases, the peripheral form shows rapid improvement and recovery if the cause is treated promptly and well and not it is allowed to run for a long time. In contrast, the central form is more difficult to fix and sometimes cannot be remedied. Obviously, the idiopathic form cannot be resolved with any treatment, since its cause is not known. That is why we must help the dog to adapt to his new condition so that he leads the best possible life while the syndrome lasts.
Dogs predisposed to vestibular syndrome
Any dog is susceptible to vestibular syndrome. This can be present from the animal's birth, in which case it would be called congenital vestibular syndrome Affected puppies will begin to show clinical signs between birth and three months old. In any case, vestibular syndrome in older dogs is more frequent, and can then be called geriatric vestibular syndrome In any case, this syndrome can occur in dogs of any age. It also occurs in any breed, although there are some that are considered more predisposed. Are:
- German shepherd.
- Doberman.
- Akita Inu and American Akita.
- English Cocker Spaniel.
- Beagle.
- Smooth-coated fox terrier.
- Tibetan Terrier.
Causes of vestibular syndrome in dogs
The causes of vestibular syndrome are very diverse When we talk about the peripheral form, the most common are otitis, chronic infections of ear, recurrent infections of the inner and middle ear, cleaning the ears excessively by irritating the area a lot and even perforating an eardrum, among others.
If dealing with the central form of the disease, the causes are other major conditions or diseases such as toxoplasmosis, distemper, hypothyroidism, internal bleeding, trauma from brain injury, stroke, polyps, meningoencephalitis or even tumors, in addition to certain drugs such as aminoglycoside antibiotics, amikacin, gentamicin, neomycin or tobramycin.
Symptoms of vestibular syndrome in dogs
The most commonsymptoms of vestibular syndrome in dogs are as follows:
- Disorientation.
- Head crooked or cocked.
- Loss of balance.
- Walking in circles.
- Difficulty eating and drinking.
- Difficulty urinating and defecating.
- Involuntary eye movements.
- Dizziness, vertigo and nausea.
- Excessive drooling and vomiting.
- Loss of appetite.
- Irritation to the nerves in the inner ear.
These symptoms may appear suddenly or gradually as the condition progresses. In case of detecting any, it is very important that we act quickly and take the furry to our trusted veterinarian to be able to identify, as soon as possible, the cause of the vestibular syndrome and be able to treat it.
Diagnosis of vestibular syndrome in dogs
As we have just commented, it is vitally important that as soon as we detect any of the symptoms described above, we take the dog to the vet. Once there, the specialist will perform a general physical exam and perform some specific tests to checkbalance and where she tilts her head or walks in circles, since Normally, that will be the affected side. You should also observe the ear both externally and internally and, if with these tests you cannot give a diagnosis, perform others, such as X-rays, blood tests, cytology, cultures or any other that can help to find the problem or, at least, to eliminate possibilities.
In addition, if it is suspected that it may be the central form of the disease, the veterinarian may request tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, biopsies, etc. In any case, as we have already explained, there are times when it is not possible to identify the cause. In cases in which the professional diagnoses it and can tell if it is a peripheral or central vestibular syndrome, the appropriate treatment should be started as soon as possible, always under his supervision and regular follow-up.
How to cure vestibular syndrome in dogs? - Treatment
Treatment for this condition will depend entirely on what form it is treated and what the symptoms are It is vital that, in addition to the cause of the problem, the secondary symptoms are treated to help our dog go through the process as well as possible.
In the event that it is peripheral vestibular syndrome, as we have already mentioned, it is most likely an otitis or a chronic ear infection. That is why the most common treatment for the peripheral form is usually the treatment for otitis and difficult ear irritations and infections. If we find the central form of the condition, the treatment will also depend on the specific cause that causes it. For example, if it is hypothyroidism, the dog should be medicated with the indicated hypothyroid supplementation. If, on the contrary, it is due to a tumor, the possibilities of operating it will have to be assessed.
In all the cases mentioned above as possible causes of the disease, if they start to be treated as soon as possible, we will see how little by little it is solvedor the main problem is stabilized and that, in turn, the vestibular syndrome is also corrected until it disappears. When it comes to the idiopathic form, since the cause is unknown, neither the main problem nor the vestibular syndrome can be treated. At least, although it can last a long time, it will most likely end by itself after a few weeks. Therefore, even if we decide to carry out more tests to try to find a cause, we must focus on making life easier for our furry companion while he goes through the process.
Care for a dog with vestibular syndrome
While the treatment lasts or if the cause has not been found and our dog has to get used to living with vestibular syndrome for a while, it will be our responsibility to help him feel best possible and to make your life easier.
But if my dog is disoriented and falls, how can I help him? To do this, we must try to clear the areas of the house where they usually stay and move the furniture away, as these dogs tend to hit each other continuously due to disorientation. We will also have to help him eat and drink, giving him food by hand and bringing the drinker to his mouth or even administering the water with a syringe directly into his mouth. We will also have to help you to lie down, get up or move around and, many times, we will have to help you defecate and urinate.
Furthermore, we can help calm him down with our voice, with affection and with natural and homeopathic remedies for stress, because we must remember that, from the first moment he begins to feel bad, dizzy, disoriented, etc., our dog will be suffering from stress. With all this, little by little it will improve until the day comes when the cause has been solved and the vestibular syndrome also disappears.
If it continues over time, by following all these tips we will be helping him get used to his new condition and, little by little, we will see that he begins to feel better and thatis capable of leading a very normal life In addition, if the syndrome is congenital, when puppies grow up with this condition, they normally quickly get used to everything that this entails and lead a perfectly normal life.
Home remedies for vestibular syndrome in dogs
Unfortunately, There are no home remedies to cure vestibular syndrome in dogs. We can only insist on the measures discussed in the previous section, which aim to improve the dog's quality of life. Take care of it as well as possible and remember that it is also important to go to the vet, since the seriousness of some of the causes behind this syndrome make it necessary to have a treatment that can only be prescribed by this professional and it is better to start it as soon as possible.
